I've been working in a hospital, and have patient contact every day. Many sounds, sights, and smells I've gotten used to, but there are a couple things I will come face to face with in nursing that will take a lot of conditioning to get past. For those of you who are starting your program in January, and have never had any clinical exposure, do you know some of the things you've signed up to do every day? Consider these: inserting and maintaining foley catheters, handling colostomy bags, handling urine, blood, feces, vomit and sputum, maintaining tracheostomies (some are really ugly, dried blood, etc.), irrigating and maintaining ugly wounds, and caring for bodies after death. I don't mean to horrify, but rather to bring up the reality of the job. So now, back to the question. What things will you have to develop a 'thick skin' towards during your training, and beyond?
I think I still hold the record at the University of Miami for fainting as a Student Nurse. Can't tell you how many times I woke up with my head between my knees and a BP cuff on my arm, with my instructor screaming "Barbara you will be the death of me!!!
I think this thread is hilarious!! You are SO right. When I first started clinicals and had to do some of those nasty things, I stood there and was like "oh my god, what am I getting myself into?" I was also pregnant at the time, and it any of you had that heightened smell thing with pregancy, you know what I mean. the thing that grosses me out the most to this day is snot. Runny noses and that type of thing. It is okay if it is clear, but that thick green stuff gets me every time. Blood and all that other stuff is fine, but eeew!! I can't stand when someone has to give a specimen for a sputum culture or something like that. Certain smells are still bad, too. When people come in to have cysts drained, that odor can be very overwhelming. Since I don't want to offend the pt. I will just leave the room and have the doc come and get me if they need something. Some of thos smells are downright gag-inducing! :imbar I find that if you chew a piece of really strong gum or pop a cough drop in your mouth, it can help. I think everyone has something that they will not get used to, hopefully we all can find a way to deal with those things-if we cannot avoid them.
when you get to the cafeteria and there is this yucky film on the gravy and the person doesn't even try to like stir it and they dip right into the film and ladle that up on your sort of already greenish mashed potatos and put it right next to your red raw roastbeef and then the rolls are harder than the bricks that my house are made of.
The one immaculate saving grace is they finally switched to Pepsi in the fountain drinks whew if it wasn't for the Pepsi I wouldn't be able to eat any of that other stuff.
Guess I am just lucky none of the fluids or drips or drizzles or falling chunks of fecal matter or smells bother me!!! Although every once in a while I will empty a colostomy that makes me wonder if they are a gravy donor.
I think I will do okay with vomit as when I was younger I had a lot of friends who were binge drinkers and I ended up holding their hair while they prayed to the porcelin god.
I'll do okay with urine and feces -- used to do day care and changed hundreds of diapers.
Blood has never bothered me.
Dead bodies make me sad (somewhat -- it's less sad when death has brought someone relief from pain and suffering) but they don't freak me out. I even kiss dead bodies when it is a family member or close friend.
I don't have any issues with needles (I have a few tattoos and a piercing).
I think what I am most worried about is catching fellow employees being unethical or unlawful. I hate to be put in whistle blower positions (but am never afraid to blow the whistle).
Sputum, sputum sputum. Actually WBC's that clump and turn color from any orifice, abcesses drained, pussy urine, but when the pt gags and brings up that yellow green clump of hock- well I get all gaggy thinking about it.:stone
I have never had any problems with the sputum, poop, or any of those, I guess I have been lucky to have one of those noses that doesn't smell some things. I used to always judge a good day if you didn't get blood or poop on your shoes!!
I just have to say, that after reading these posts, anyone that still wants to be a nurse must really want it. I count myself in that group, so I guess it's good to know now and not be surprized.
BTW, what's a foley? Is it a urinary catheter (maybe for men)?
LOL at "good day is w/o blood or poop on the shoes"!!!
if you think this is bad, go to the ER forum and read the thread called "What's your craziest story of the ER? I think that link will take you there... but hold on for some shock value!! I just discovered that thread the other day and it was interesting to say the least to read so many wild, gross stories all together at once.
I haven't done catheters yet but I think a Foley is a urinary catheter, for both/either male or female but someone correct me if I'm wrong!
I just have to say, that after reading these posts, anyone that still wants to be a nurse must really want it. I count myself in that group, so I guess it's good to know now and not be surprized.
BTW, what's a foley? Is it a urinary catheter (maybe for men)?
LOL at "good day is w/o blood or poop on the shoes"!!!
Certain smells are still bad, too. When people come in to have cysts drained, that odor can be very overwhelming. Since I don't want to offend the pt. I will just leave the room and have the doc come and get me if they need something. Some of thos smells are downright gag-inducing! :imbar I find that if you chew a piece of really strong gum or pop a cough drop in your mouth, it can help. I think everyone has something that they will not get used to, hopefully we all can find a way to deal with those things-if we cannot avoid them. 
BarbPick
780 Posts
I think I still hold the record at the University of Miami for fainting as a Student Nurse. Can't tell you how many times I woke up with my head between my knees and a BP cuff on my arm, with my instructor screaming "Barbara you will be the death of me!!!